Community Engagement
Bringing the "Health Is a Human Right" Exhibit to Georgia State University: Bridging Government and Academia to Address Complex Questions of Race and Health Equity
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Stacie Kershner, Kim Renee Ramsey White
In 2013-14, the David J. Sencer CDC Museum at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed and hosted the temporary exhibit "Health is a Human Right: Race and Place in America." Through photographs and documents, the exhibit examines historic challenges of the past 120 years in achieving health equity in the U.S. and explores “race and place” as social determinants of health. At the exhibit’s end, faculty at Georgia State University reached out to the CDC to explore how to extend this impactful exhibit. Through a unique collaboration, Georgia State now serves as the permanent home for the exhibit which has been adapted to its new location and purpose. This paper describes the building of a relationship between a federal agency with a Smithsonian-affiliated museum and a state university with a focus on reaching diverse populations in an urban environment. The author shares the interdisciplinary nature of the exhibit, benefits for faculty, students and the public, incorporation of the exhibit into coursework and discussion, development of an online digital version of the exhibit for accessibility beyond the metro Atlanta area, and sustainability and growth of the exhibit over time. "Health is a Human Right" at Georgia State University is made possible by a donation from the David J. Sencer CDC Museum, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is supported by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health under a cooperative agreement with the University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library.
Art Therapy and the Humanist Museum: The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts' Art Therapy Programme
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Stephen Legari
In April 2017, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts launched a comprehensive art therapy programme. The programme in its current capacity includes a full-time art therapist, several art therapy groups with partnering organizations and clinics, an internship training programme, several research projects, and a free access open studio - The Art Hive. This paper will report on the near two decades of community outreach initiatives that gave birth to the art therapy programme and the range of projects realized in its first year, with an eye towards future innovation. With the largest amount of sq metres dedicated to education and well-being in a North American museum, the impact of physical space, accessibility, and philanthropy at the MMFA will also be explored. We will also highlight how the notions of wellness and inclusivity have evolved and undergone reconsideration within the Museum's Department of Education and Wellness and how art therapy as a profession finds expanded definition within the museum milieu.
In Touch with Culture: Inclusive Engagement in Museums for Children with Visual Impairment in Mainstream Schools
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Clare Coleman
Early in my career I worked in Social Services with hearing and visually impaired people. It was often said that being deaf can cut you off from people but being blind can cut you off from beautiful things. So, when I started working in museums I was determined to find ways of making paintings and objects accessible for all. In my role as Learning Officer for primary schools (ages 4 - 11) at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford, I have experimented with different materials and techniques to create inclusive sessions for children with visual impairment. This paper explores touch and inquiry based learning, which helps all children to understand objects and paintings. In all our taught gallery workshops children either handle original artefacts, replicas, or 3D printed items. The addition of visual description, raised images, smells, sounds, drama and tactile art activities facilitate inclusion for visually impaired children.
Towards a Gameful Museum: Empowering Museum Professionals Via Playing and Making Games
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Daniela De Angeli
Digital technologies are part of our everyday lives, affecting how people communicate and perceive the world, and prompting museums into rethinking their exhibitions in order to stay relevant and drive visits. In particular, games have acquired a key role in contemporary society, so many believe they should be included in exhibitions in order to attract new audiences, educate, and engage the public. However, museum professionals often struggle to approach new interactive narratives and may lack technical experience, which translates in pre-conceptions and skepticism towards digital technology and games. Moreover, the use of games in museums is generally limited to educational purposes and to engage with younger audiences, while games have been successfully used in other fields both as a co-design technique and as a method to collect data from and about players. Games are also a global phenomenon that interests a diverse range of users: male and females, of all ages, and across many different countries. In this study, I have investigated game play and game creation as a participatory method to empower museum professionals and support the design of new interactive experiences. I have involved museum professionals in both making and playing games. Drawing from my experience, I suggest that game-based activities can promote creativity, problem solving, dialogue, and social interaction. In particular, game making can provide museum professionals with a better understanding of what a game is and how it can be developed while playing games can facilitate the design of new narratives.
